Oakland Unified School District expected to vote on $9 million of proposed budget cuts

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Oakland Unified School District's Board of Education is considering a multi-million dollar mid-year budget cut, and teachers and school advocates are organizing a protest and march to Wednesday evening's board meeting in opposition.

The district had initially approved a $15 million budget cut, but recently revised that to $9 million. District spokesman John Sasaki said that reflects a commitment to the African American Male Achievement Program and the Newcomer Program, both of which garnered broad support during public input from the community.

"The community told us what was important to them," Sasaki said. "We heard them, so we changed the targets."

"African American Male Achievement specifically is a program we had envisioned cutting more, now we're cutting less," Sasaki added.

The Newcomer Program, which helps students who are new to the district and may not have much support from family or other adults, is also a part of that revision.

"Some of them are unaccompanied minors, so we have programs specifically to help them get an education and learn English, but also to connect them with services here in the community that can help them with social workers and housing," Sasaki said.

The Oakland Education Association, the union for OUSD teachers and other district staff, is urging the district to avoid any cuts not immediately necessary to avoid a state takeover of the district's finances.

Instead of cutting funding for teachers and students, the advocacy group Classroom Struggle is urging the district to trim fat by reducing hours and cutting positions for the district's higher-paid administrative personnel.

They're also urging that further cuts be postponed until labor unions and community groups can make a full analysis of the district's budget and create some alternative proposals.

Both groups have scheduled a rally at the Lake Merritt Amphitheater, on Lake Merritt Boulevard across from the Kaiser Convention Center, at 4:45 p.m. before marching to the school board meeting at nearby La Escuelita Elementary School at 314 E. 10th St., Oakland.